I am interested in the earliest exposition of Buddhist philosophy/religion in general. That is,what have scholars dated as the earliest text that exposits Buddhism as a whole, as opposed toa handling of a specific circumstance (like death)?

I'm interested in a single teaching and not a corpus. It need not go into detail either.

If no such thing exists (due to fragmentary texts), are there any proposed reconstructions?

Links to the (English) texts would be greatly appreciated.

I have done some web searches, but am unsure if the results are correct, especially given the morerecent Gandharan finds.

I am interested in the earliest exposition of Buddhist philosophy/religion in general. That is,what have scholars dated as the earliest text that exposits Buddhism as a whole, as opposed toa handling of a specific circumstance (like death)?

I'm interested in a single teaching and not a corpus. It need not go into detail either.

If no such thing exists (due to fragmentary texts), are there any proposed reconstructions?

Links to the (English) texts would be greatly appreciated.

I have done some web searches, but am unsure if the results are correct, especially given the morerecent Gandharan finds.

Thanks in Advance!

I cant confirm this but I have been told that the following two suttas were found in a clay pot written on bark and are among some of the oldest actual copies of suttas. In addition I understand that the Sutta Nipata in general has some of the most accurately preserved texts based on the linguistic style. I am not a scholar so if anyone here knows better than me please chime in.

The Sutta Nipata book of 8's is thought to be old, but I do not know about the earliest.

This offering maybe right, or wrong, but it is one, the other, both, or neither!Blog,-Some Suttas Translated,Ajahn Chah."Others will misconstrue reality due to their personal perspectives, doggedly holding onto and not easily discarding them; We shall not misconstrue reality due to our own personal perspectives, nor doggedly holding onto them, but will discard them easily. This effacement shall be done."

I am interested in the earliest exposition of Buddhist philosophy/religion in general. That is,what have scholars dated as the earliest text that exposits Buddhism as a whole, as opposed toa handling of a specific circumstance (like death)?

I'm interested in a single teaching and not a corpus. It need not go into detail either.

If no such thing exists (due to fragmentary texts), are there any proposed reconstructions?

Links to the (English) texts would be greatly appreciated.

I have done some web searches, but am unsure if the results are correct, especially given the morerecent Gandharan finds.

Thanks in Advance!

Doing a school paper? I don't think you'll find a Cliff's Notes survey of your wish list. K.R. Norman has covered some of the ground you mention, below is a series of his lectures which may help, but I doubt there is Q of the Buddha's teachings to be found.

xmp333 wrote:If no such thing exists (due to fragmentary texts), are there any proposed reconstructions?

It occurred to me with reference to this part of your request that you may be interested in Venerable Ajahn Sujato's GIST (General Integrated Sutta Theory) mentioned in Chapter 2 of A History of Mindfulness.

Who are you?’ said the Caterpillar.

Alice replied rather shyly, ‘I—I hardly know, sir, just at present—at least I knew who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.’”

...and improvements again with respect to the dates of the parinibbana and some other events.

"And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting oneself one protects others? By the pursuit, development, and cultivation of the four establishments of mindfulness. It is in such a way that by protecting oneself one protects others.

"And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself? By patience, harmlessness, goodwill, and sympathy. It is in such a way that by protecting others one protects oneself.- Sedaka Sutta [SN 47.19]

Here is it said the scrolls are in the British Museum, London. They are actually held in the British Library, London.It would be useful if somebody with the necessary level of permission can edit the WIKI page as the present information is not correct.